Azerbaijan, France to cooperate in disaster prevention

Azerbaijan and France will cooperate and render mutual assistance in the prevention of natural calamities and man-made disasters, under a five-year agreement signed by the two governments and ratified by the Milli Majlis (Azerbaijani parliament) on Tuesday.

According to the deal, which covers the fields of civil defense and security, the two countries will advise each other on ways of preventing the threats of earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and forest fires, as well as accidents in the transportation of hazardous substances. Other areas of joint activity include protection of property and environment, said Ziyafat Asgarov, vice-speaker and chairman of the parliamentary commission on security and defense issues.

The document also aims to develop relations between the French Ministry of Territorial Development and the Azerbaijan Ministry of Emergencies.

Under the agreement, employees of the Azerbaijani ministry will undergo training in France. The ministry will also purchase the needed machinery from this country.*